


I dreamt of you and felt love

by endboss



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-27
Updated: 2017-04-27
Packaged: 2018-10-24 18:15:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10747149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endboss/pseuds/endboss
Summary: Xiumin dreams of a better life and finds the meaning of love.





	1. Week 1

When Minseok turned six years old, he wanted to become an astronaut. Sail through the stars and say hello to the tiny green men roaming around the surface of the mars.  
"It's always good to dream big", his mother used to say, a fond smile gracing her lips. Minseok laughed cheerfully in reply.

When Minseok turned twelve years old, he dreamed of being a famous soccer player. Having the whole world cheer for him as he scored goal after goal.  
"I can't wait until you win your first world cup, son", his father told him back then, ruffling his hair with a proud look on his face. Minseok smiled back at him.

When Minseok turned 18 years old, he didn't know what to dream of, no matter how hard he thought. Everything just seemed too far away.  
"We love you", his parents said, but the uneasy, desperate look they shared told him the truth. Minseok just nodded.

When Minseok turned 24, he stopped thinking.  
What his parents thought didn't matter. Why should Minseok listen to them anyway? He turned his back on them and walked away.

 

That was two years ago and nothing changed. Minseok was 26 now, stuck in an uneventful office job he didn't really care about, spending every single day sorting data and checking forms. And sometimes, when he sipped on his cold coffee in the tiny office kitchen, he wondered how he ended up like this.  
When did he lose his passion? When did his curiosity turn into apathy? And when did the people he called 'friends' become one-sided strangers?

Sure, his friends were fun, he enjoyed talking to them and laughing at their jokes. But Minseok gave up on showing people who he really was long ago. It didn't matter. They wouldn't understand.  
Instead of sharing his thoughts, beliefs, worries, Minseok put on a mask. A mask made of sweet smiles, shallow words and hidden lies.  
And it worked, sadly. Minseok was popular, both at the office and in his circle of friends. His co-workers would always swoon over how mature and hard-working he was, while his friends appreciated his playful, sarcastic side. If he was being honest, he always kind of hoped that at least one of them would take a closer look.  
That at least one of them would approach him, ask him if he really was happy, if there's something on his mind, something he needs to talk about.  
'But of course', he thought bitterly, 'if you don't approach them yourself, you'll always be alone'.  
It was a vicious cycle, and Minseok had no idea how to get out of it.  
He was lonely.

 

Week 1, Monday  
It's fairly warm for early spring, Minseok thought. The gray streets were filled with people heading to their work place, frowns etched on their faces and eyes trained on the ground. Minseok was probably the only one who appreciated Mondays. How could he not? A new week meant a new chance. It was as if his life had a new beginning every seven days, and every Monday he wondered if there was a chance for something different to happen.  
Most of the time he was left in disappointment when the day passed without a change in his habitual lifestyle. Minseok's motivation would falter slightly, but he always told himself, 'maybe next Monday will be the start of something new'.

As he wandered down the busy sidewalk that led from his small apartment to the shabby bus stop, he let his eyes wander over the masses of people. It was one of his favorite things to do, watching people. Sometimes he wondered how it would be if he met someone else's gaze.  
Minseok arrived at the bus stop just as his bus pulled up, breaking his train of thoughts. Just shortly after, he already found himself entering his small cubicle, a stack of papers neatly placed next to his computer. With a sigh, he started his usual routine.  
He didn't notice that hours passed until his co-worker and friend Jongdae stepped into the small space, leaning against the thin wall with his usual cat-like grin. Minseok was okay with Jongdae. They might not be close but the younger boy was at least able to put a smile on Minseok's face with his stupid jokes.

„Yo Minseok, working as diligently as always?“, the boy laughed. Minseok was unable to fathom how he was able to be so happy all the time. He nodded in reply, turning his chair to his co-worker. The latter sighed. „No surprise the boss likes you the best. Maybe you should take a break.“  
Minseok raised his eyebrow, sending Jongdae a skeptical look. „And what do you have in mind?'“  
At this, the smiling boy straightened his posture, his grin widening even more. „How about a vacation? Travel far away, discover new places, meet new people, bring a little excitement in your life!“

Shaking his head, Minseok chuckled dismissively. „It's not like I can afford that. No thanks, I enjoy my life the way it is“. That was a lie, of course.  
Jongdae visibly deflated, looking unconvinced. „Fine, fine. How boring! But hey, if you're happy like this.“ The smile reappeared on his face and Minseok returned it weakly. But the second Jongdae left, his smile left as well.

After their conversation, Minseok was unable to concentrate properly on his work. He dismissed Jongdae's idea instantly, but somehow, his words kept returning to his mind. Travel far away. The thought stirred up something inside of him. Maybe, just maybe, this is the change he desires.

Hours later, he stepped out of the office, his empty stomach strongly demanding more than the stale coffee Minseok drank during his break. Slowly, the sun was setting. Minseok appreciated the scenery, just a few weeks ago the city was already tinted in darkness by the time he left the warm office building. The sun always managed to lift his mood, the sunrays brightening his otherwise dull life.

The spring weather, the sunshine, Minseok needed it to keep his own dark thoughts away. If someone asked him what he wished for in life, he would probably reply something along the lines of “I wish for a light that keeps me warm and happy“. A soft smile played on his lips as he raised his eyes to the golden hues that painted the sky. What a pity, he thought, that everyone was so focused on looking down. How could they miss something so beautiful?  
Minseok hurried down the street. Maybe, if he was fast enough, he'd be able to enjoy the sundown on his balcony. It's these things that made enduring the week a little easier. In these moments he felt home, like he belonged.

Thinking about it made his small smile widen as he arrived at the bus stop. It didn't take long before his bus arrived to take him home and after a short ride, he found himself in front of his apartment, fishing his keys out of his pocket and feeling the tension in his shoulders disappear.  
His apartment was cold and quiet, but the atmosphere always felt comfortable to Minseok. He watched as the light of the setting sun filtered through the windows on the westside of his living room while shrugging off his jacket and putting away his bag. He checked his phone, Jongin had sent him a few more cute pictures of his dogs, Chanyeol and Joonmyeon messaged him with random smalltalk and Yixing asked him if he wanted to go out for drinks with their group of friends later that week. Minseok told himself he'd answer later, which he'd most likely forget again.

Not long after that he stood on his balcony with reheated food from yesterday, watching as the sun disappeared slowly. It was pretty late already and he almost couldn't see the sun between all the buildings, causing him to subconsciously strain his neck to see more.  
It was futile, though, and he turned back to his food with a small sigh. A little thought ran through his mind and momentarily, even he was surprised with how negative it sounded.  
'How far do I have to look to see the light?'

 

Late into the night, when he lay in bed fast asleep, Minseok dreamt.  
He dreamt of a familiar scenery, tall buildings, hundreds of people going nowhere, the setting of the sun. It reminded him of his own city, and yet, instead of the usual feelings of loneliness, he felt content. It was warmer, safer, happier and felt like...home.

His eyes wandered around, soaking in all the details he could see.  
The faceless crowd rushed past him, but he was in no hurry. He glanced around until light hit his eyes and he squinted, trying to get used to the sudden brightness. Tilting his head up, he realized that the sun was nearing the horizon like it was on his way home, the sky filled with thousands of lovely colors.

Unconsciously, a smile began to form on his lips, the people around him long forgotten. The rays of sunshine hit his face and its warmth spread through his body like a wildfire.  
But there was something bothering his peace. He couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched, of someone's eyes following his every move. Minseok's eyes quickly moved over the crowd, but he realized that their faces were still empty.

He returned his glance back up to the last beams of light, only to notice that the feeling was still there. He peered down, squinting slightly to focus on the far-off crossing opposite of him.  
And that's when he saw him and everything stopped.

A young boy, small like him, with messy black hair and a soft smile that reminded Minseok of one of his neighbour's puppy. He turned this attention to the boy's eyes. They were small and a little droopy, but filled with such warmth and kindness that Minseok felt his stomach churn. At the same time, his heart was beating a thousand miles a minute from the intensity of their eye contact.  
Electricity ran through his body. Surrounded by thousands of people and our eyes met.  
Minseok couldn't recognize more of the boy from his distance, and yet, he already knew how to describe him with one word. Beautiful.

The sudden urge to be with the boy filled him. He started to run, his feet moving on their own and his mind telling him to move faster, this is what you're searching for, don't go back, what that meant he didn't know but he could figure it out later.  
He was so close, only the large street seperating them. 'This is too good to be true', Minseok thought. 'This must be-'

Minseok jolted into an upright position, his breathing heavy, sweat running down his temples. He blinked, once, twice, trying to calm his racing heart. His hands gripped the soft material beside him, and that's when he realized what happened. '-a dream.'

Within seconds all the warmth, all the content he felt disappeared and the cold returned to him. He felt goosebumps rise on his arms and started shivering violently. With a sigh, he let his body fall back on his old mattress and stared at the barely visible ceiling.  
Of course it couldn't be real. The happiness, the feeling of freedom... how could it be true? Minseok attempted to go back to sleep, but no matter how hard he tried, his mind didn't want to rest. He kept thinking back to the city, the atmosphere, the boy. The beautiful boy whose soft eyes kept staring at him in the darkness.  
Somehow, for some reason, his face almost seemed...familiar. Minseok was a hundred percent certain that he never met a boy like him before, he was just a figment of his nocturnal imagination after all, but the more he thought about the boy, the more he was filled with the feeling of nostalgia.  
He closed his eyes, trying to think about other things like his work, his friends, the dinner he'd eat tomorrow and eventually, he fell asleep again, postponing his thoughts to the next day.

 

Week 1, Tuesday  
When Minseok woke up at exactly six in the morning, he felt relaxed. He lay in bed for a few more minutes, letting his brain wake up properly. But a few moments later, he already regretted it as images of last night's dream returned to him. Soft eyes, a small nose, a lazy smile and messy black hair invaded his mind and suddenly it felt hard to breath.

Minseok quickly climbed out of his bed and opened his window wide, leaning out into the breeze and taking a few deep breaths. The morning air was chilly and he felt goosebumps appear all over his body, just like when he woke up from that strange, wonderful dream.  
Shaking his head, Minseok decided to get ready for work. After quickly wolfing down his breakfast and putting on his jacket, he was once again on his way to the nearby bus stop. The walk gave him time to think more cleary. It was odd, he thought. This wasn't the first time he had such a pleasant dream and yet, this particular one just wouldn't leave his mind. Maybe it was actually a vision? Maybe Minseok had the power to see the future or something?  
He snorted to himself and decided that it was better to just focus on his work today.

Just shortly after, he already forgot about the events of last night and found himself sitting at his desk as usual, typing away on his computer while attempting to listen to Jongdae's endless rambling.  
"...so Yixing texted me yesterday, he complained to me that you wouldn't reply to his messages again."  
Momentarily Minseok stopped typing, remembering that he read the Chinese male's message but forgot about it. Again. Oops.  
He chuckled awkwardly at his co-worker's accusing stare. "Sorry, I'm really working on it." Jongdae only looked even more unimpressed. "I promise! I'm trying my best!"  
The other just stared at him for a few more seconds before shaking his head softly. "So, you coming?"  
Now it was Minseok's turn to stare. "...what?"  
Jongdae groaned in exasperation, ruffling his already wild hair. "To go out! On Saturday! Yixing's message?"  
Minseok vaguely remembered Yixing asking him to come along for drinks on Saturday. He didn't have any plans, so why not? It couldn't be that bad.  
"Right. Uh, sure I guess, I'll come."  
Jongdae instantly brightened up, his eyes crinkling in happiness. "Great! I'll go text the others right away!"  
And with that, Jongdae was gone, leaving Minseok alone with his work.  
For the rest of the day his mind steered clear from any stray thoughts. Only when he was back at his apartment and ready to go asleep did the thoughts from last night return to his mind.  
Minseok slipped under his warm covers and turned off the lights. He didn't feel tired yet, he just stared at the ceiling and let his mind wander. Would he dream of the boy again? Would he get a clearer picture this time?  
Questions like these raced through his head and he didn't even notice how he slowly, carefully drifted off to sleep.

 

Week 1, Wednesday  
Minseok dreamt of a black void.

 

Week 1, Saturday  
After his peaceful Tuesday night, Minseok decided to just drop the dream. Sometimes, when he had too much time to think, the pictures returned, but he just shrugged it off and decided to focus on his normal life for the next few days. It didn't mean anything anyway.  
Saturday quickly came up and before he could even blink Minseok found himself in front of his closet, choosing clothes for his night out. Eventually, he decided to wear a white button-up shirt and tight black pants. It was simple but damn, did he look good.  
Before he was able to style his hair properly though, his doorbell rang and he heard Luhan's muffled voice call for him. The pretty male lived in the next street and loved (to Minseoks dismay) to pick Minseok up for their meetings.  
"Minseok! Open up! It's me, Luhan! Are you ready yet? Let's go!"  
Minseok already felt annoyance spread through him. He liked Luhan, yes, but his constant talking grated on his nerves like hell. How was he supposed to make it through an entire night?  
With one last glance at the mirror he left his cozy home, letting Luhan drag him towards their goal while listening to his seemingly endless gossip.  
Even when they arrived Minseok couldn't hope for at least a minute of silence. Their other friends were already there, seated at one of the largest tables the cozy little bar had to offer. He saw Chanyeol and Jongdae sitting in the corner, animatedly talking to a confused looking Yifan right next to them. Sehun wore his usual unimpressed look but he intently watched Kyungsoo and Yixing, who seemed to talk about some of their mutual interests. As usual, Jongin was doing something on his phone, but judging from Tao's delighted squeals and the way Joonmyun looked over his shoulder, he was once again showing his newest puppy pictures to the others. Nothing new, Minseok thought.

He sat down with Luhan at their usual seats after greeting the others and contemplated what he wanted to drink. He didn't get to decide though, because before he knew it, Chanyeol slid a tall glass containing clear liquid over to him. „We already ordered something for you“, the younger boy said with his usual wide grin. The grin didn't really help to make Minseok feel less skeptical. In fact, it only made him feel even more unwilling to drink it. „What the hell is that?“, he asked Chanyeol, looking at him with a frown.

The taller just replied with a loud laugh, waving him off and returning to his conversation with Yifan and Jongdae. Minseok felt his frown deepen. He decided to take a sip anyway, only to regret it a second later when he felt the bitter taste of alcohol on his tongue. Not used to drinking, he coughed a few times, to the amusement of his friends. He heard Jongdae, Chanyeol and Luhan laugh and even Jongin and Joonmyun snickered a little.

Minseok felt his cheeks burn in embarrassment. „Shut up guys...“, he muttered softly. Joonmyun laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, trying to console him. „Sorry, it's just so funny. You should really come out to drink more often.“

Humming in agreement, Minseok took another, albeit smaller sip from his beverage. He knew he should spent more time with his friends instead of sitting by himself in his apartment, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Even if they invited him and enjoyed his presence, he still felt out of place.

His eyes wandered from his drink to his round of friends, watching them talk to each other and laugh happily. He thought that maybe he'll find the change he's looking for by going out more often. Maybe something will happen, something new, something exciting.  
Nodding to himself, Minseok joined the conversation between Luhan and Joonmyun, ignoring the burning in his throat as he drank the night away with newfound motivation.

Week 1, Sunday  
Minseok doesn't remember how he arrived back at his place. He also doesn't remember if it was 3 am, 4 am or 5 am when his tired body finally slid into bed. What he remembers though, is how he and Chanyeol laughed obnoxiously loud without caring for the stares they received. He remembers downing seven shots in a row with Yifan and cheering triumphantly when he finished them faster than his friend. He remembers dancing like idiots with Sehun and Yixing and singing horribly with Luhan.

It was definitely a night to remember, though now, as he lay in bed with a pounding headache and feeling unbelievably embarrassed, he wasn't so sure if it was a good idea after all.  
'I'll never drink with them again', he thought as he swallowed another painkiller and lay back in bed, where he spent the rest of his weekend dreaming of nothing.


	2. Week 2

Week 2, Monday  
On Monday morning, Minseok thankfully felt better and he went back to his normal schedule. Wake up, eat, go to work. This was the routine he knew and even if it was boring and unsatisfying, he liked the safety that came with it. When he arrived at work, punctual as always, he greeted his co-workers and sat down at his desk that already had a stack of papers lying on it. Not long after he began to work through the documents Jongdae arrived at his desk for his usual gossiping. This time, though, he had an almost mischievous grin adorning his face.  
„So, Minseok, you're a real party monster, huh?“

Minseok only blushed, coughing lightly to get rid of the embarrassing feeling. „That was a one time thing, alright? Next time you won't talk me into drinking like that.“ Jongdae pouted. „But it was fun! Finally you let go and had fun... it was nice to see you open up a bit, you know?“  
Instantly, Minseok felt bad. They didn't talk about it often, but he knew that his friends worried about him. That's why they always tried to drag him out, to make him socialize more. He sighed. „I know, I know... sorry, Jongdae. I just don't feel that comfortable drinking, you know?“  
His friend looked at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. „But if it makes you uncomfortable... then why did you agree to drink in the first place?“

Minseok blinked. That was a good question, to be honest. Why the hell did he agree to drink? He stared at Jongdae, trying to think of an answer. Jongdae beat him to it though, suddenly grinning widely again. „Could it be that you were drinking to escape the cruel reality? Like in all these cliché movies?“

Jongdae laughed at his own (strange) humour, but Minseok only froze. He hadn't thought about that, didn't even think there was a reason for his drinking, but Jongdae's words struck something inside of him. Could that be it? Was he just trying to forget about his life?  
He chuckled nervously, not wanting Jongdae to become suspicious. The younger seemed to notice though and opened his mouth, but luckily, his boss chose to arrive at exactly that moment.  
„Mr. Kim! I'm not paying you to distract our hard-working employees!“, he growled and immediately, Jongdae squeaked and bowed in apology. A second later he ran off to his own workplace and Minseok sighed in relief. He felt guilty but damn, was he thankful for his strict boss. Said boss just nodded at him and left, leaving Minseok to finally work properly again. For the rest of the day, Minseok didn't see Jongdae anymore.

As he walked out of the office and back to the bus stop, he imagined how flustered his friend must've been. It made him smile slightly, it was unusual to see him like that. Thinking of what happened made him think about the other's words again though, and his smile fell again.  
Why did these words have such an impact on him? It was true, in a way. He tried to find a change in his life, tried to escape his safe routine. He sighed sadly. It's so frustrating. No matter what he did, no matter how much he tried to think about something else, in the end he always gets reminded of how unhappy he truly is.

A drop landed on his cheek, breaking him out of his thoughts. Minseok turned his head towards the sky, gazing at the grey clouds that covered the wide sky. The rain slowly picked up, drenching Minseok's clothes.  
He didn't bother to move faster, to run to the shelter of the bus stop. A bitter laugh escaped his lips as he kept his eyes on the clouds that seemed to imprison him with his emotions.  
'Isn't it funny', he thought sadly, 'how the sky is crying when I'm already too tired to do so?'

 

The rest of the day felt like slow motion to Minseok. He tried to find ways to distract himself, watched some bad romance movies, ate leftovers and searched through the internet for whatever could entertain him for more than fives minutes.  
It was futile, though, and Minseok found himself lying in his bed earlier than usual, staring at the darkness and sighing whenever all those bad thoughts resurfaced. He just wished to fall asleep, to forget his worries for a few hours before his routine started again.  
After a long time of tossing and turning, Minseok finally closed his eyes. And for the first time in a week, he dreamt.

He dreamt of a bar, similar to the one he has been to with his friends. He sat alone in a corner by the large windows, sipping on a drink Minseok couldn't recognize. It felt like he was waiting for something, for someone.  
The bar was filled with groups of people who were laughing loudly, drinking without a break and dancing to the blaring music. It reminded Minseok of the past Saturday, when he was just the same. But instead of feeling uncomfortable and out of place, this time he felt like he belonged. As if the dozens of people weren't just distant strangers, as if the smell of alcohol wasn't intoxicating his senses.  
He raised his glass to his lips, taking a sip and enjoying the pleasant burn of alcohol in his throat. Setting the drink down on the table, he looked across the room, watching the different kinds of people. His eyes landed on the door as he heard it open and he watched with interest who'd enter the bar. To his surprise, the boy that entered seemed familiar.

Minseok gasped. Could it be? Was it the boy from his dream one week ago? Said boy turned his head in Minseok's direction and smiled cheerfully when their eyes met. Minseok had no idea how to react, he just kept his stare fixed on the pretty boy walking towards him. When the boy arrived at his table, he promptly sat down in front of Minseok, his smile never leaving his face. He opened his mouth, saying something, but Minseok couldn't hear anything.

His heart throbbed loudly in his chest, so loud that all other sound faded away. The boy noticed this and his happy expression got replaced with a worried frown. He leaned over the table, closer to Minseok, waving his hand in front of the stiff boy to get his attention. Minseok just kept staring and he noticed that the way his lips moved suggested that the boy was calling his name. How did he know it? Could it be that they have met before? More and more anticipation filled Minseok's body and he was unable to calm down. He didn't know what it was about this boy that made him feel so drawn to him, but he loved the feeling. It was new, fresh, exciting.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he felt soft breathing on his face. He looked up to see the boy's face just centimeters from his own. Their eyes locked and Minseok felt overwhelmed by the intensity of the other's brown orbs. There was something inside of them that Minseok has never seen before. They sparkled so full of life, full of emotions for everything that's yet to come. Minseok admired it. He wished he could see life through the eyes of the boy. He wished he could hold the boy's hand and let him show him a world filled with wonders.

With his eyes still fixed on the person in front of him, Minseok sighed. The boy stopped for a second before he sighed as well, raising his hand towards Minseok's face. He gently cupped his cheek, his touch running through Minseok's body like electricity and setting his nerves on fire in a comfortable, pleasant way. Oh, how much Minseok wished to intertwine their hands, to feel the rush in his fingertips. Slowly, carefully, he raised his own hand to his face, trying not to startle the beautiful stranger. Their hands were so close, so close and yet so far, but Minseok didn't want to stay away anymore. So he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and gave himself the strenght to close the distance. 'It's now or never.'

His eyes opened. And everything was dark.

Minseok's head spun. Everything was silent, when just seconds ago the noise was almost too much for his ears. Trying to concentrate, he realized that he was lying down instead of sitting in his chair. The warmth on his cheek was gone and instead replaced by the coldness of Minseok's own hand. 'Wait. Don't tell me...'

Finally, he sat up, feeling the mattress beneath him move. His eyes seemed to get used to the darkness, and he was able to recognize his surroundings. He saw the outline of his dresser against the wall, the edge of his bed and the curtains that swayed softly with the cold wind.

Feeling his strenght leave him, Minseok fell back onto his bed, covering his eyes with his forearm. And as the warmth inside of him turned into a stinging cold that brought a new kind of fatigue with it, Minseok couldn't hold back the sob threatening to leave his throat.

 

Week 2, Tuesday

When Minseok thought back to the previous night as he sat at his desk and worked on new documents, he couldn't help but feel somewhat embarrassed. He actually cried. Because of a dream. Sure, that dream overwhelmed him and drained him emotionally, but he felt like he overreacted completely. That's why he tried not to remember the dream now, he didn't want to feel so weak again. 'A dream's a dream, it's not real, no matter how much you wished it was.', he tried to tell himself over and over again.

He worked even harder than usual to distract himself, earning himself a praise by his boss. Jongdae just rolled his eyes, that fucker. His friend and co-worker also didn't show up at his desk for the entire day, if it was because he was busy or because he was pissed at Minseok for being a better employee, he didn't know. He just shrugged his shoulders and resumed working. It was easier to concentrate like this anyway.

Minseok's shift ended uneventful, but when he started packing his things, his boss returned to his desk. Bowing politely, Minseok stopped packing and looked at his boss in confusion. „What can I help you with, sir?“

His boss looked at Minseok contemplatingly, stroking his chin with his rough fingers. „It's not a secret, Mr. Kim, that you are one of the most hardworking employees in this office. You work dilligently and the outcome is always flawless. I am immensely pleased with your work and would like to offer you something.“, he said with a smile on his face.

Minseok nodded, signaling his superordinate to go on. „On Thursday, there will be a business fair in the East Convention Center, I'm sure you've heard about it. I can't go personally due to an important meeting, so I decided so send you as my representative. I want you to take a look around and prepare a report about it. Also, there are a few important people from big companies I want you to talk to. I believe you are capable of doing that with ease. And maybe, if your report is flawless as always, I'll consider a promotion. What do you say, Mr. Kim?“

To say Minseok was shocked was an understatement. He knew he was a very diligent worker, but he would've never thought his boss would choose him to attend such a huge event. Not only that, but he also thought about promoting him? Minseok was perfectly comfortable with his current position, but he had to admit a promotion sounded amazing. It meant more money, and even if Minseok wasn't all that interested in being rich, it meant more financial security and the chance to travel more.

„I feel honoured that you chose me, sir. Thank you very much, I will not disappoint you.“, Minseok told his boss and he could tell the other man was pleased with his answer. The man smiled at him, handing him a document that contained all the information Minseok needed. „I knew you'd say that, Mr. Kim. I look forward to hear your report.“ And with that, he left, leaving Minseok to continue packing his things.

On his way home, Minseok thought about the upcoming event. He didn't feel nervous at all, he knew he was capable of doing his job with ease. Furthermore, Minseok always considered himself to be a calm person. There's nothing that makes him feel nervous.

Minseok stopped in his tracks for a second. Well, actually, there was something that made him feel nervous. The dreams. The two strange dreams about that strange boy. Just thinking about it made Minseok's heart beat faster and for once, he didn't have an explanation. And it honestly scared him. The dreams just seemed so real, so emotional. Normally his dreams are filled with nonsense, but the situations in those two dreams were so...normal. Almost as if they already happened to him.

And there was something about that boy that made Minseok crave more. As much as he preferred to be by himself, seeing that boy in his dreams stirred up a strange kind of longing inside of Minseok. He hasn't even really spoken to the boy in his dreams, doesn't know about his story or his personality. It felt like some kind of „love at first sight“, like in all these movies, only that it wasn't quite love. Minseok wondered if he'd dream of him again. What would happen next time? In his dreams, are they friends? Acquaintances? Co-workers? Lovers?

Minseok shook his head softly. No, it couldn't be. He really needed to stop thinking about this. Why couldn't he get his mind off of it anyway? They were just dreams. Nothing more. Just dreams.

When he finally cleared his mind and focused back on his surroundings, Minseok realized he was just about to arrive at his home. Noticing how tired he felt from all the thinking, he decided to just head to bed right away and to save all these confusing feelings for another day.

 

Week 2, Wednesday

For the entirety of the next day, Minseok pushed his thoughts aside and prepared himself for the business fair. He worked through the paper his boss gave him, read about all the booths there were and which were important for him. Besides a little chat with Jongdae, Minseok did nothing else all day. It made him feel professional and less emotional, like in the last few days. His boss seemed happy about Minseok's hard work as well and it made him smile. At this rate, he'll definitely get the promotion. All he needed to do was to complete the next day just as perfectly as this.

Arriving at home late in the evening, Minseok chose to relax with a good book and a good wine. It's been a while since he made himself comfortable like this, content in the warmth of his home. 'Tomorrow is definitely going to go well', he thought as he let the day end with a soft smile on his lips.

 

Week 2, Thursday

Minseok woke up earlier than usually and surprisingly, he felt awake and fresh. The sun was shining, too. It was a beautiful spring day, he could even hear a few birds chirping outside. Humming contentedly, he made his way to the bathroom to take a shower. Minseok took his time to prepare himself for the event today, putting on a nice suit and making sure his hair fell perfectly. It gave him a professional aura, just like he wanted. He wanted to make a good first impression, after all.

When he deemed himself ready after eating a healthy breakfast, he made his way to the bus stop. In moments like this, he really wished he had a car. Maybe he could buy himself one when he gets the promotion.

The bus ride took longer than usually, since the convention center was in the east of the city while Minseok lived in the west part. He didn't mind though, it gave him more time to pepare himself for the fair. He opened his bag that sat on his lap, rummaging through it to make sure he had everything he needed. The day before, his boss gave him a badge that allowed him to enter without a problem. Careful not to accidentally stab himself, He stuck it onto his jacket before he forgot it later.

When he finally arrived after what felt like an eternity, Minseok felt more than ready. He was relaxed, happy. Stepping into the large entrance hall after having his badge checked by security, Minseok immediately made his way to the first booth he was supposed to check out. He made a lot of notes, making sure his report would include all the important information he found out. After visiting a couple of booths, he decided to go talk to some of the people his boss wrote down for him.

He moved into Hall 7, where he was supposed to find the CEO of a big electronics company. It didn't take him long to find said man and he introduced himself with a polite bow. „Good morning sir. My name is Kim Minseok of EXO Industries, I'm here as a representative for Mr. Jung. It's a pleasure to meet you.“

The man in front of him, Mr. Lee if he remembered correctly, looked him over with a scrutinizing glance before he smiled softly. „It's very nice too meet you too. I was hoping to have a conversation with someone from EXO.“ And with that, Minseok started a pleasant conversation with the man. He was happy he prepared himself intensively, the conversation went smooth and he could tell the man approved of him.

'This day couldn't be better.', Minseok thought. 'I'll definitely get the promotion.' A smile appeared on his lips and he sighed contentedly. Turning his attention back to the man, he realized said man waved someone else over.

Minseok recognized the now approaching man as Mr. Choi from the big advertisement company near his workplace, another person his boss wanted him to talk to due to the man's importance. They were introduced to each other and soon Minseok met more and more people to converse with. It was a pleasant time, many of the high-ranked men were impressed with Minseok's knowledge and praised his professionalism.

But just as he was talking about the last project he finished, someone ran past them in a hurry and almost knocked Minseok off his feet. „Watch out!“, he heard someone next to him shout after the running person. After he made sure he wouldn't fall over, he turned his head into the direction of the stranger. And when his eyes fell onto the disappearing person, he felt his whole body freezing.  
„Are you alright, Mr.Kim?“, he heard someone ask him and he felt a hand lying on his shoulder, but he couldn't react. All Minseok could see was the stranger running through the large hall.

Young, small, slim, messy black hair.

There was no way it was him. It didn't make sense. He was just a figment of his imagination, a character in his dreams. And yet, all he could do was to shrug the hand off his shoulder and run after the stranger, forgetting the other men, his job and even his bag.

His legs took him around corners, past booths and hundreds of people who looked at him in shock, but he didn't care. Slowly, Minseok got closer to the stranger. He had no idea what to do when he caught him. What if it was the boy from his dreams? What if he wasn't? Thousands of questions ran through his head and made him run even faster. He saw the stranger take a left turn but when he followed, Minseok couldn't see him anymore.

There were people everywhere, blocking his view and making it almost impossible for Minseok to get through. He frantically looked left and right, straining his neck in an attempt to search for the other male. It was futile though and Minseok slumped back dejectedly, running his hands over his face.

When he turned around, he spotted a restroom and quickly slipped into it. Luckily, it was empty. Minseok stepped towards the sink, shrugging off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves before splashing his face with cold water.

After a few moments of silence, Minseok tilted his head up to watch his reflection in the mirror. Looking at his disheveled state with a groan, he realized how much he just fucked up. He ran away from his boss's business partners and probably made a really bad impression, he acted like an idiot for running after the stranger and he even left his bag with his notes back there. Upon realizing the last bit, Minseok's eyes widened in shock. He quickly patted his pants, sighing in relief when he realized his keys, phone and wallet were in his pockets. There weren't many other things in his bag so losing it wasn't that terrible, but his boss would kill him for not being able to deliver that report. 'Bye bye promotion', Minseok thought.

A long sigh escaped his lips. The day went so well, everything was perfect. Why did it have to end like this? There was no doubt Minseok felt stressed and confused, just like every other times his dreams were involved.

Minseok sat down on one of the toilet seats and locked the cubicle, trying to calm his nerves. His head was hammering and his palms felt sweaty, he just wanted to go home and sleep.

And that's exactly what he did, hours after he locked himself in the cubicle and went home when the fair finally closed.

 

Week 2, Friday

Minseok called in sick.

 

Week 2, Saturday

On Saturday, Minseok finally felt a bit better. If he was honest with himself, he felt unbelievably embarrassed for his actions. He also felt scared of what his boss would say. Because of that, he called in sick the previous day. His boss had faith in him, told him his work is flawless and what does Minseok do? Act like a 12-year-old and run after a stranger because he has some kind of weird crush on him, how unprofessional.

He knew he had to face his boss sooner or later (sooner would probably be better, he thought) but the thought already made him shudder. Would his boss demote him? Or would he just be angry? Minseok knew thinking about it wouldn't make anything better but the thoughts just wouldn't leave his mind and they slowly made him feel even worse.

With his mind cluttered like this, he couldn't relax. He ignored his friends' messages asking him to hang out and just lay in his bed, trying to forget what had happened.

 

Week 2, Sunday

Just when Minseok finished his breakfast, he got a call from Jongin. It surprised him, since Jongin is usually pretty shy and never contacts him on his own. But then again, Jongin has always been a very caring and attentive person, which seems to be the reason for his unexpected call. After a short moment of hesitation, Minseok picked up. „Hello? Jongin?“

The other answered in a small voice, almost sounding nervous. „Hello Minseok-hyung... I just wanted to ask, are you alright?“

The question surprised Minseok. He definitely wasn't alright, that was obvious. But how did Jongin know about that? As if he could read Minseok's thoughts, Jongin continued. „You're never answering our messages and Jongdae-hyung told me you weren't at work on Friday. Is everything going fine for you? If you need someone to talk to, you know I will listen, right?“

Minseok sighed. Jongin was right, he needed someone to talk to. All of this was slowly messing with his head. „Thanks for you concern Jongin. I don't know, there are a lot of things happening lately. I just...feel a little overwhelmed.“ He scratched his cheek in thought. What would Jongin think if he told him about his dreams?

Minseok heard Jongin hum a little before the younger male replied. „Are you busy right now? How about we meet up? Then you can tell me everything.“ And with that, they decided to meet at the river. The air was fresh and the sun was shining, only a few clouds adorning the sky.

When they met, they decided to take a walk along the river for a while, not saying anything. Minseok appreciated Jongin for that. The boy wasn't loud like Chanyeol or mischievous like Luhan, and while he loved those two, it was nice to be with someone calm like Jongin for once.

„So, hyung, what's going on with you?“ Jongin asked him, looking concerned. Having no idea how to start, Minseok just decided to blurt it out. „I'm having dreams lately. Strange dreams. I keep dreaming of this boy... I don't know who he is, I've never seen him before but he feels special. Even when I wake up I keep thinking about him, how much I want to be with him and I just don't know what to do. I mean, he's not real, right?“

Hesitantly, he turned his head towards Jongin, scared that he freaked him out. To his surprise, Jongin just nodded understandingly, still looking as calm as ever. „I see. But have you maybe considered that they're not just dreams?“ Jongin asked him, tilting his head uncertainly.

The question caught Minseok off-guard. Yes, he had considered it before, but dismissed it just as quickly. He knows he hasn't met that boy before so there was no way, right? At Minseok's confused expression, Jongin continued. „You know, they say you can't really dream of strangers. Apparently the people in our dreams are people we've seen before, even if it was just for a second. Maybe you walked past him once or saw a photo on the internet and now you subconsciously can't stop thinking about him?“

It made sense, in some way. He felt grateful to have a friend like Jongin, everyone would've probably just laughed at him. But he still had no solution. „What am I supposed to do then?“, he asked Jongin, gnawing on his bottom lip.

Jongin hummed in reply, looking over the scenery while deep in thought. „I assume you want to meet him“, he said with a nod, „if only there was a way to find out his name. How about you trace back your steps, visit all the places you've been to lately? Though you could've seen him on the internet or television.“ With a long sigh, Jongin rubbed his hands over his face. As much as he wanted to help Minseok, he had no idea what the other could do. It was nearly impossible to find a stranger without knowing his name.

Jongin watched as Minseok just quietly stared at the ground in front of them. Of course, his older friend had always been rather quiet and unobtrusive, but seeing him looking so sad and lonely made him feel horrible. They weren't really all that close, but to Jongin Minseok was still a valuable friend and he wished he could help him. For now, all he could do was to listen to Minseok's worries.

„Thank you Jongin. I'll try to look out for him more, maybe I'll get lucky. But thanks for listening, it really helped.“, Minseok said, smiling at him. He already looked a bit better than before. Jongin smiled back, glad that he could at least help a little bit. „You're welcome. Call me again when something new happens, alright?“

They continued to talk about random topics for the rest of the day, enjoying the beautiful weather and stopping at a café on the way. Later, when Minseok lay in bed, waiting to fall asleep, he realized how much lighter he felt. His worries of the last few days disappeared and he wasn't so scared to face his boss anymore either.

'I should invite Jongin for dinner one day', Minseok thought before he fell asleep.


	3. Week 3

Week 3, Monday

Minseok's talk with his boss wasn't as bad as he imagined it. Sure, his boss was extremely angry and disappointed while Minseok just felt guilty, but at least his boss didn't demote him. Still, watching the smile slip off the older man as he awkwardly tried to explain the situation was something Minseok didn't want to experience again. His boss had such high expectations of him, why did he have to fuck it up like that? His boss will never give him such an opportunity again, that's for sure.

After being reprimanded, Minseok just got back to work. He felt horribly unmotivated though and even Jongdae's attempts to cheer him up with bad jokes failed. In the end, he just silently finished all his work while trying to forget about what happened.

Minseok didn't even feel like doing anything after work, he hurried home and ate dinner as quick as he could so he'd be able to head to bed and hopefully feel better the next day. When he finally lay in bed, Minseok tried to distract himself by thinking about his conversation with Jongin on the previous day. It warmed his heart that his younger friend wanted to help him, but like Jongin said, it'll be impossible to find the stranger without knowing his name. But who knows, maybe he will see the stranger again one day. If what Jongin said was true and you can only dream of people you've seen before, there is a high chance he'll see him again, right? After all, people always say you see each other at least twice in your life.

With these thoughts on his mind, Minseok slowly fell into a peaceful slumber and pulled into the world of dreams.

He dreamt, but his eyes were closed. There was silence around him and his fingers were curled around a cold, smooth surface. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring at his own reflection. His hands were gripping a white marble sink that seemed oddly familiar. Looking around, Minseok realized he was standing in the bathroom of the business fair he attended the previous week. Just like after he followed the stranger like an idiot.

Minseok sighed dejectedly. He sat down on the cold ground, leaning his head against the tiles. As he let his mind wander, he failed to realize that the door opened and another person stepped in until a soft voice broke the silence. „Minseok? You left this with the others, are you alright?“ Minseok turned his half-lidded eyes towards the door, only to have them widen in shock when he realized that he knew the owner of the voice. In front of him stood the boy of his dreams, looking at him curiously and carrying Minseok's bag on his shoulder. What was more important though was the fact that Minseok was able to hear his voice. His beautiful, melodic voice.

It suited him perfectly, in Minseok's opinion. Soft like his features, bright like his smile, warm like the atmosphere around him. And the way Minseok's name rolled off the boy's tongue made his heart beat faster. All he wants is to hear that voice call his name for the rest of his life, watch as the boy's lips form the words with a smile. But then he remembered his conversation with Jongin. They both knew it would be impossible for Minseok to find him outside of his dreams. At least without knowing the boy's name. Would he answer him if Minseok asked for his name?

Said boy shifted a little, looking even more confused now that Minseok wouldn't answer him and just continued to stare at him instead. "Minseok? Is everything okay?" he said, moving closer towards the frozen man, crouching down next to him and softly putting his hand on the other's forehead.

The touch of the other's hand burned on Minseok's skin and sent warmth down his body, just like the last time. This time though, Minseok didn't dare to hold the boy's hand in fear of waking up once again. Instead, he turned his head up to meet the stranger's droopy eyes and asked in a quiet voice:"What's your name?"

The other looked startled, his eyes widening for a second, before they softened again and a wide smile bloomed on his lips.

„Silly. It's me, Baekhyun.“

It's me, Baekhyun.

Baekhyun.

Baekhyun.

„Baekhyun.“

The boy, Baekhyun, chuckled and sat down completely next to Minseok, the latter's bag still sitting in his lap. Their thighs were touching, Minseok noted, and the urge to pull Baekhyun closer hit him hard. But there were still so many questions on his mind, questions Baekhyun would be able to answer. 'Why do you know my name? Where can I find you?'

"What are we?"

Baekhyun looked at him and opened his mouth, but it was too late.

Minseok should've known, he should've expected it by now. He slowly blinked, trying to get used to the darkness of his room. Just like the last times, his dream ended exactly when he was about to get a little closer to Baekhyun.

'That's right, Baekhyun.'

A long sigh escaped Minseok's lips, but this time, it was accompanied by a smile. It was okay that the dream ended already, in fact, Minseok felt happy. Now he knew the beautiful boy's name, now he would be able to search for him. Who knows, maybe the search will go fast and by tomorrow he will be able to look into Baekhyun's eyes?

Fishing his phone out from underneath his pillow, Minseok searched through his contacts until his eyes landed on Jongin's name. He wrote his friend a short message that only contained the name he just learned, afraid he'd forget it again in the morning. Hitting 'send', Minseok put his phone away and went back to sleep, feeling peaceful and happy. He knew he didn't need to explain Jongin what his message meant, the younger boy would understand the significance of this one, simple word.

To: Minseok  
From: Jongin

We're gonna find him.  
[sent 3:58]

 

Week 3, Tuesday

When Minseok arrived at work the following day, he felt relaxed. It was a good day, nothing special, until he finally decided to take a look at his phone and saw the message Jongin sent him last night. Everything came back to him in that moment and he momentarily froze in his seat. Right, he knew Baekhyun's name now. They would find him.

Minseok's heartbeat quickened, he felt the excitement rushing through his veins and his work didn't matter anymore. Of course, he knew he would regret it later, his boss wouldn't be happy either, but right now he deemed his own happiness more important. Opening the browser on his work computer, Minseok contemplated what would be the best way to find Baekhyun. Should he just enter his name in a search engine? Or go through social media sites? He had never done anything like this before, how was he supposed to start?

By the time Minseok's break started, he didn't manage to find out anything about Baekhyun. He felt frustrated and angry, it couldn't be so hard to find a person when you know their name and how they look, right? Apparently it was.

Not knowing how to continue, he used his break to call Jongin. The other probably knew what to do. Dialing the other's number, he impatiently tapped his foot on the ground. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Jongdae shooting a worried glance into his direction, but he couldnt care less at the moment. "Hello? Hyung?", he heard Jongin's voice call from the other line. "I got your text last night. So his name is Baekhyun? How did you find out?"

For a second Minseok felt worried. Jongin has proven himself to be understanding and to take Minseok's problem seriously, but would he still react like that when he finds out Minseok got his name from another dream? It sounded strange to his own ears, really. He should just try it anyway, right? Taking a deep breath, Minseok opened his mouth to tell him. "I dreamt of him. We were talking...I managed to ask for his name. He told me it's Baekhyun. I've been trying to search for him on the internet but I got nothing. What should I do?", Minseok nearly whined. He was slowly losing his patience, ever since he started dreaming of Baekhyun everything changed.

To him, that beautiful stranger was like a light. A light that slowly crept into the darkness of Minseok's life and removed all the shadows covering his heart. Yes, Minseok still knew next to nothing about him, but just seeing that wide smile sent a strange kind of comfort over him. He was desperate to find a change in his life and the warmth Baekhyun offered was something he gladly accepted.

So he was ready to take the risk, to blindly seek a stranger, because everything seemed better than the monotonous life he lived up until this point. Jongin, for some reason, seemed to understand him without asking questions. And Minseok could see it in the younger's eyes, the latter knew how miserable Minseok was and wanted to help him, no matter what. 'Bless his kind heart', Minseok thought.

Breaking Minseok out of his thoughts, the said younger male finally spoke up. "I see... L/listen hyung, I'm busy today but how about we meet up tomorrow, after your work? I could come over to search together. I can't really think of anything right now either but I'll try to find some ideas, alright? What do you say?"

Minseok sighed happily at Jongin's suggestion. His idea was perfect in Minseok's opinion and he never felt happier to call Jongin his friend. The boy may be a few years younger, but he was incredibly smart and compassionate.

"That sounds perfect. I get off work at 5pm and usually arrive at home half an hour later, do you want to come over then? I'll text you my address too.", Minseok replied. The other agreed and they made a few more arrangements before Minseok realized that his break was about to end. He quickly bid the other goodbye and got back to work, feeling his frustration disappear and contentment rise in its place.

Realizing how much he slacked off during work the whole day, he quickly tried to catch up, even though he knew it was futile. His boss was still angry at him and he'd surely disapprove of Minseok's lack of diligence too. 'I better start concentrating again', Minseok thought, 'or I'll get demoted for real this time.'

With that last thought, Minseok resumed doing his work for the rest of the day, attempting not to get distracted by the whirlwind of thoughts in his head.

 

Week 3, Wednesday

Work on Wednesday couldn't have been slower for Minseok. He felt impatient and nervous the entire time and didn't even care that he barely got his work done. Sure, Minseok should've cared when he felt his boss's glare on his back, but how could it matter when the clock was so close to telling him it's time to leave?

The way home felt even slower, dragging on for hours in Minseok's opinion. In reality, he arrived even earlier than expected and had to wait for Jongin. Anxiously, Minseok let himself fall on his couch, sprawling his limbs all over the soft cushions. He watched as the minutes ticked away, wondering what he'd be doing right now if these dreams never appeared. Probably reading a book or mindlessly scrolling through his phone, still desperately trying to find something new in his routine. The thought of it alone made him shudder. Even if it was only subtle, Baekhyun had already changed his life.

A knock on his front door pulled Minseok out of his thoughts and he rushed to the entrance to let Jongin in. The younger boy sent him a soft smile as he stepped in, carrying a large bag under his arm. „I brought my laptop, it might make things easier.“ Minseok nodded in reply. He was amazed at how prepared Jongin seemed to be. Even if they'd fail to find Baekhyun, at least Minseok realized what a good friend Jongin truly was. It seemed like his opinion on Jongin slowly revealed itself to be nothing more but pure prejudice. Minseok always believed his friendships were shallow. The kind of friendships that only existed for meaningless conversations and a little bit of laughter. But Jongin proved himself to be so caring it made Minseok feel bad for his assumptions. It kind of made him think though. If Jongin wasn't who Minseok thought he was, what about his other friends? Were their worried messages actually serious and not just common courtesy?

Minseok decided to push these thoughts to the back of his head for now and focused back on Jongin. „Let's get started?“, he asked, leading the other to his worn out couch. They sat down together and Jongin instantly opened his laptop and started searching for a few sites. „So, hyung, I thought about it and I already have a few ideas. There are sites meant to find old colleagues or classmates that I already logged into. Also, we're gonna check out a few dating sites. You never know right? If that doesn't work I have a few minor ideas we could try and as our last resort I made a list of public places that get visited often by people our age so we can look around there.“

Minseok felt unbelievably impressed. Never in his life did he expect Jongin to be so prepared. All he could do was to stare at the younger in shock as said boy typed away on his laptop. After a while Jongin realized that the other didn't react at all, so he turned to him with a questioning glance only to be met with a surprised-looking Minseok. „Hyung? What's wrong?“ Minseok snapped out of his shock and just shook his head at the younger. „Sorry. I'm fine. It's just...wow. I can't believe how much you're trying to help me.“ He smiled greatfully at Jongin, trying to hide how wet his eyes were all of a sudden.

Returning the smile, Jongin patted his shoulder. „That's what friends are for, right?“

'That's what friends are for.' Minseok really had a lot to learn.

 

By the time they finished their search, it was already past midnight. No amount of searching and asking and clicking helped though and in the end, they found themselves right at the beginning. Jongin groaned, stretching his arms and wincing at the pain in his back. „I don't get it, it shouldn't be that hard to find Baekhyun.“ Minseok only hummed in reply, staring at the wall with crossed arms. Even if he tried, he couldn't hide the sadness that spread through him. Everything went well and he had been so full of hope, why couldn't it work out for once? A long, tired sigh that made Jongin look up to him escaped his throat. The younger smiled sadly, pulling Minseok into a warm hug.

„Don't worry hyung. We'll find him, no matter what. You got his name this time so there's a possibility you'll get more information on him in your next dream right?“  
Minseok could only huff in frustration. „But what if it's not even his name? What if he doesn't even exist and my mind just put him together to fool me? What if I'll never find anyone to complete me?“ He didn't care if he sounded ridiculous, Minseok simply felt tired. Tired of running in circles and never getting anywhere. For the first time in his life he found something that made him happy in a strange way, he didn't want to give it up. No, he wanted to meet Baekhyun. To see the beautiful male's content smile directed at him and warm him up from the inside.

Minseok never believed in love at first sight or soulmates, he had never been good at making friends and for the longest time, he felt content being alone. How was Baekhyun able to destroy all of it within seconds? Minseok didn't even realize he said it all aloud, clinging to Jongin and sobbing softly. The younger held him closely, stroking his back in a comforting manner. What Minseok didn't see though was the determined look on Jongin's face.

'Don't worry hyung', Jongin thought. 'We will help you find your happiness.'

 

Week 3, Thursday

On Thursday, Minseok felt even more unmotivated for work. He barely finished any of the papers his boss gave him. The previous night, Jongin reassured him that they'd find a solution but to be honest, Minseok felt kind of hopeless. At the same time, he just felt angry at himself. Why didn't he just ask Baekhyun for his last name? Or his address? Even his email would've been enough but no, of course he wouldn't think of that.

In his sorrow Minseok even asked Jongdae if he knew someone named Baekhyun. Lately, Jongdae always peeked at him with a strange kind of look Minseok didn't understand. He looked worried, maybe even a little sad. It made Minseok wonder if he looked just as horrible as he felt.

Either way, both his friendships and his work suffered from his mood and he knew he needed to find a solution before something bad happens.

 

Week 3, Friday

Friday was worse, if that was even possible. Minseok didn't even acknowledge the stack of papers on his desk, and when his boss came to him with an angry expression Minseok didn't listen to his warnings. He just couldn't bring himself to care. Work had always been a routine for him, something that gave him a sense of security. Now it turned into something he couldn't keep his attention on. If he wanted to keep his job, he'd have to start focusing on it again, but it was difficult.

After a few hours of staring at his screen and mentally punching himself in the face, Minseok decided to sneak off to the toilets to call Jongin. The younger has showed him what it's like to have a friend you can trust completely. Minseok relied on him more than he should but he couldn't help it, the feeling of having someone by his side was new and wonderful. If it wasn't for Jongin, Minseok would've probably already lost all his hope.

Jongin picked up on the second ring, sounding concerned as he greeted Minseok. „Hyung? Why are you calling right now, you have to work, right? Is everything okay?“

The worry in the other's tone made him smile. Oh, how wonderful it could be to have someone worrying over him. „I'm okay, Jongin. I just don't know what to do anymore. Being at work just gives me a headache, my boss scolded me again today and I don't think I can stay like this for much longer. There must be something we missed. I know it.“

Jongin hummed in agreement. „I've been thinking about that too. I feel like we haven't tried hard enough yet. And actually...you know, I have a suggestion but I don't know if you like it.“ He sounded a little nervous, Minseok noted. With a sound of acknowledgement, he urged his friend to go on.

„I know what you think about us. We all do, hyung. We know you don't consider us to be close friends and that you prefer to be alone. But I believe I managed to prove to you that we care more than you think. We're not shallow and we're not blindy ignoring your troubles. Truth to be told, we just never knew how to approach you without scaring you away, you know? I'm not the only one who wants to see you happy. We want to help you, no matter what. So please, please let's get the others to help us? It doesn't even need to be all of them, maybe just one or two. Please, hyung.“

Minseok hesitated. This is the first time he heard all of that. It surprised him, shocked him even. He wasn't aware his friends cared for him so much, in fact, like Jongin said, he believed they were oblivious to his problems. But now he knew he could trust him, so he should trust him with this too, right? „I'm not sure. I feel like they'd laugh at me for going after someone I dreamt of, you know?“ Minseok paused for a second. Even if he still felt unsure, with their help, it would probably be easier to find Baekhyun. „But I do trust you, Jongin. If you think it's a good idea...then maybe we should try it.“

Jongin instantly brightened up, laughing happily at Minseok's decision. „But!“, Minseok said in a stern voice, noting how Jongin seemed to hold his breath. „Only one. Not more.“ The younger audibly sighed in relief, sounding enthusiastic. „Anything to make you feel more comfortable, hyung!“

Hearing Jongin's excitement, Minseok felt himself relax a little. Adjusting the phone in his hand, he stepped near the sink to look at himself in the mirror. The bags under his eyes and the wrinkles on his forehead made him frown. He really needed to stop being so uncaring. „So, Jongin, who do you have in mind?“ There was a small pause on the other line before he heard Jongin's excited voice.  
„Yixing.“

 

Week 3, Saturday

Minseok agreed to meet up with Jongin and Yixing in a coffeeshop on Sunday. He felt both excited and scared at the thought of Yixing joining them, but Jongin told him it would be fine. Minseok opted for sitting on his couch and reading a novel for the day, just to relax himself. He was halfway through when he got a call from Jongdae.

Looking at the caller id on his phone, Minseok felt confused. He never received a call from Jongdae, if the younger wanted to meet up or had something to discuss about work, he'd just send him a quick text. Jongdae wasn't the kind of person to call others.

Accepting the call hesitantly, Minseok raised the phone to his ear. „Hello?“

„Hey Minseok!“, came Jongdae's cheerful reply, but something about his voice sounded off. „What's up? Having a nice Saturday?“ Minseok frowned. Obviously something was up. „Jongdae, you never call me. What's wrong?“

He could hear the other sigh on the other line. So he was right about that. „It's just...Minseok, you're really out of it lately. And I'm sure you've noticed it too, the boss is super pissed. I just wanted to say, be careful, yeah? You might lose your job if this keeps happening. And also...“ Jongdae hesitated, as if he was uncomfortable with the topic. Minseok huffed impatiently. „Also what, Jongdae?“

The younger man sighed. „I know I don't say thinks like that often, but I'm worried about you man. You always look so sad and just... what's wrong, Minseok?“

Minseok remained silent. The last few days were full of surprises for him, discovering new sides of his friends and realizing he wasn't as alone as he thought he was. It seemed like Jongdae was, just like Jongin, more observant than Minseok had believed. And now he called him just to make sure Minseok would be okay. He felt touched, to be honest, he wasn't used to having someone ask for his well-being.

A content smile spread on his face and he closed his eyes, feeling unbelievably happy at the moment. „Thanks for worrying, Jongdae. I really appreciate it. I'm okay, a few things are happening lately but I'll be fine. Maybe...maybe I'll tell you about it soon, okay?“ Minseok had no idea where the last bit suddenly came from. All the recent events seemed to spur him on, make him feel closer to the people he called his friends. One or two weeks ago he felt like they were almost strangers, but now, he slowly got to the point where he wanted to trust them.

It seemed like Jongdae didn't expect it as well because for a moment, everything was silent. But then he chuckled quietly, reminding Minseok of the phone conversation he had with Jongin the day before.

„It's alright, you don't need to tell me if you don't feel comfortable with it. But when you need help - I mean, I'm not the best at giving advice, but if you need help, tell me, okay? Maybe it sounds dumb but I'm here for you. Always.“

Minseok's grin widened. He felt more and more of the weight on his shoulders disappear with every word his friends told him. Even if they wouldn't find Baekhyun in the end, the journey was already worth it for all the moments he shared with the people he learned to love.

 

Week 3, Sunday

At ten in the morning, Minseok made his way to the local coffee shop where he was supposed to meet Jongin and Yixing. Earlier, Jongin had called him for a few words of encouragement, telling him that Yixing was excited to be able to help. Furthermore, Jongin explained him that Yixing had no idea what this was about. "I didn't want to tell him, I thought you might not be comfortable with that.", Jongin told him.

Minseok felt grateful that Jongin respected his privacy, even though he kind of wished he told the Chinese male about Minseok's problem. Having to tell the other about his dreams was his biggest fear currently. He felt scared of Yixing's reaction, even if he knew that the man was literally the kindest person on earth.

Still, fear could be irrational at times, and now was one of those. Minseok raised his arm to look at his watch, he still had about 15 minutes until their meeting.

He let his eyes wander over the crowd around him, just like he always did on his way to the office. Instead of just looking at the strangers' faces though, he started to imagine where these people came from and where they were going. What kind of problems did they face, were they happy with their lives or did they seek something else, just like him?

>'There probably are a lot of people who struggle like me. Who seek the comfort of someone else.', he thought. It was comforting to think about, comforting to know that he wasn't alone.

Feeling considerably more calm as his thoughts wandered to the people around him, he turned left into one of the smaller streets where less cars passed him. Minseok wasn't in this area all too often, although now that he saw how beautiful it was, he decided to come more often. The buildings were old, with beautiful ornaments engraved into the concrete. There were a few lone birch trees planted right at the edges of the sidewalk, making the city look a lot smaller than it really was.

It was quiet, almost rural, but beautiful. Minseok wasn't used to seeing sights like these in this busy town. He walked along the cobblestone sidewalk, watching the birds wandering along the street and flying over the rooftops. Now that spring began, the bushes and flowers in front of the small shops began to bloom in vibrant colors. Minseok took his time to admire the plants, stopping every now and then to look into one of the shop windows. By the time he arrived at the small coffee shop, he was almost too late and he could already see Jongin and Yixing seated at one of the tables in the corner.

"Over here, hyung!", Jongin called while waving him over. Seeing Jongin's large grin and Yixing's soft smile, even the last of Minseok's nervousness? Disappeared. He walked towards his friends, greeting the waiter on his way and inhaling the fresh scent of coffee. "Hello Minseok hyung. It's been a while since we've seen each other!", Yixing greeted him as he sat down on the opposite of the Chinese man. "Yeah, it's good to see you again.", came Minseok's reply and Jongin handed him one of the menus.

"We haven't ordered yet because we wanted to wait for you first.", he said, eagerly sifting through the thin book. Minseok chuckled softly, the younger really acted cute sometimes. "Thanks, that's nice of you. And sorry for being late." Both Jongin and Yixing instantly reassured him that it was okay and after they ordered they fell into a comfortable conversation.

Only when their drinks arrived did Yixing get to the important matters. "So, Jongin said you have a problem. What is it about?" Minseok sighed. Next to him, Jongin gave him a look of encouragement, giving Minseok the strength to breach this fragile Subject.

"It probably sounds a little strange. And I won't judge you if you laugh at me for it. A few weeks ago, I had a dream. The dream felt so real and so nice. There was a boy in it... a beautiful boy, his face was young and full of life, with a cute button nose, droopy eyes and a smile so lovely and real, it just pulled me in. The dream wasn't even that long, but just the short time I got to see him was enough to make me feel warm. There was something about him that just felt like...home. I  
tried not to think about it too much, but it just wouldn't leave my mind. And just when I was about to forget, one week later, I dreamt of him again."

A smile adorned his lips at the memory. 

Just thinking about the dreams filled him with happiness. "In the next dream, we were even closer. It didn't feel like he was a stranger, you know? It felt as if I've always known him. As if we just naturally belong together. Being with him felt addicting already, after such a short time, but then it happened a third time. And that time, we actually talked. His voice was so smooth, so soothing. All I could think was that I want to hear this voice forever. I asked him for his name so I could find him outside of my dreams, which is why we're here now. Jongin and I weren't successful yet so we hoped you'd help us."

Minseok took a deep breath, looking up to see Yixing's reaction when he finished his explanation. To his surprise, just like Jongin, Yixing looked completely calm. "What's his name? And what did you two try already?", is what Yixing replied. He had a serious expression on his face, not even for second thinking that all of this was just a joke. Grinning slightly, Minseok opened his mouth to reply but Jongin was already faster. "His name is Baekhyun. We don't have a last name though, sadly. We're hoping Minseok will dream of him again and get more information but for now his first name has to be enough. As for what we did already...we pretty much searched through all of the biggest social sites, we found nothing so far though. Yixing hyung, you know many people right? That's why we thought maybe we should ask  
you."

Yixing nodded attentively, scratching his cheek in thought. After taking a long sip from his tea, he took his phone to type something Minseok couldn't see. "Yeah, that's true. I can ask around a bit, maybe one of them happens to know him. Do you have any idea where he lives?" Minseok shook his head. "Sadly, we don't. The placed where I meet him in my dreams are always pretty similar to places I've been to around here but I don't think that it means anything."

Yixing hummed in reply. "Okay, that makes it more difficult. He could literally be anywhere." Running his hand through his short hair, Minseok nodded in reply. He huffed loudly, letting his head rest on the table as his hand fell back on his lap. "It's not fair. What did I ever do to deserve this? I've always been good.", Minseok whined. He could hear Jongin snort and Yixing giggle quietly, noticeably amused by his actions. "I didn't know you have such a cute side, Minseok hyung.", Yixing said, smiling mischievously. "It's good to finally get to discover more of you."

Minseok stared at his friends. They both looked unbelievably happy, even though the only reason they were here was to help solving Minseok's problems. It really seemed as if they thoroughly enjoyed being with him. Perhaps they had always wished to become closer to him while he was too busy being ignorant and petty To let them in, Minseok reasoned. The entire situation made Minseok grin. "Then look forward to learning a lot more", he replied cheekily, making his friends burst out laughing. He couldn't help but laugh along, realizing for the first time that friendship was way more pleasant than being alone after all.

Talking about a hundred different topics and laughing at a dozen stupid jokes, Minseok almost forgot about his problem. But that was okay, he thought, since spending time with the others like this made him happier than he'd ever felt in the last few weeks. By the time they finished their drinks and got ready to leave, they barely made any progress on the search. 

"I'm so sorry, hyung! I came here to help you and in the end I just distracted us all, this wasn't my intention...", Yixing apologized profusely, looking genuinely upset. Minseok just chuckled at the other's words, he was already happy to know Yixing cared. "It's okay, Yixing. I really had fun today, we should do this more often! And we can always continue the search on another day, I'm in no hurry." He flashed the others a wide grin, to which they only laughed along, Yixing with a relieved expression on his face.

They exited the coffeeshop and decided to walk around for a bit together, checking out some of the small shops and taking pictures at the park nearby. For these few hours, Minseok forgot all of his worries and he truly felt grateful. Jongin and Yixing had showed him a new world, a world where he didn't need to depend on himself only like he stupidly believed for the longest time. They showed him that he wasn't alone, that he was loved and cherished. And one day he'd repay them for everything they've done for him.

By the time Minseok arrived at home and fell onto his bed, the smile seemed to be a permanent part of his face and he noted with pleasure that after everything that happened today, he had no regrets.


	4. Week 4

Week 4, Monday

At work, Minseok realized how much the previous day had cleared his mind. As he sat at his desk, eyeing the large stacks of paper sitting in front of him, he felt his boss watching his every move. Only now did he notice the consequen Of him dismissing work. His boss was obviously not amused with his performance, the respect he had for Minseok was gone. The latter started to feel unbelievably bad, just like when he had to face his boss after the disastrous business fair. He didn't like disappointing people, especially not if it affected his own life, and his boss used to hold him in high regard.

Now, Minseok was just as bad as his co-workers who didn't care about work and just wanted the money. He always kind of looked down at people like this but now there wasn't really anything he could say. At the same time though, Minseok still felt a rush of happiness from the previous day. Remembering the laughs he shared with Jongin and Yixing erased all the regret he felt and he started daydreaming about possible scenarios. His work was left forgotten as he imagined sitting together with everyone else as well. He imagined how it would be to be able to talk freely with  
them, share his problems and find solutions together. Or to listen to their problems, learn about their worries and dreams and help them along the way. It kind of sounded like a dream to Minseok, a dream that he now knew was possible to achieve. This only got emphasized when later that day, Jongdae walked past him with a sincere smile that looked so much different from his usual grin. Minseok smiled back at him, a sight that was unusual but pleasant for both of them.

The only thing Minseok did not realize that day was the way his boss shook his head at him with a dejected smile as he watched him from afar.

Because of this obliviousness, Minseok arrived back home after work in a happy mood. The weather wasn't that great, soft rain filled the landscape with puddles and grey clouds covered every bit of the sky, but Minseok didn't mind as he walked through it with a constant smile on his face. At home, as he ate dinner, he checked his phone for new messages. He got one from Yixing, asking him if be wanted to hang out with the others later that week like they did so often. Only this time though, he felt no need to ignore the message. He replied right away, telling Yixing that he  
felt excited to hang out with the rest again, to which the Chinese male replied with a bunch of cheesy emoticons. Jongin also sent him a few pictures of his dogs in cute scenarios and Minseok ended up talking to the other for a good hour.

Just after Jongin told him he'd go to bed and wished him a good night, Minseok thought about how he was never the one to start things. He was always the one who waited to be approached but at the same time, he was the one who despised people who didn't show concern towards others while he did it himself. Feeling brave after having such a good day, he messaged Jongdae and thanked the younger for the phone call they had on the last Saturday. He even messaged Luhan, knowing how much the other loved to babble about everything. Sending him a quick “Hey Luhan, what's up?”, Minseok briefly contemplated messaging the others as well but then he realized how late it already was. 'I'll just do that tomorrow', he thought as he got ready to go to bed.

Slipping under the covers with a small grin, Minseok quickly fell asleep thinking about how much he looked forward to the next day.

Before the next day could come though, Minseok found himself in a place that seemed oddly familiar. In fact, the scene that played in front of his eyes was one he recognized with ease. Yixing was sitting on the opposite of him, hands around a mug of tea as he laughed loudly at something Jongin just said. The younger boy was seated next to the Chinese male, looking excited as he animatedly waved his arms around and talked about something Minseok couldn't hear.

Just when he was about to ask them what they were talking about, Minseok felt something warm and soft wrapping around his hand. Looking down out of reflex, he saw long, thing fingers threading through his own and holding his hand tightly. His skin tingled at the contact and a pleasant spark?? ran up his arm. Slowly, Minseok raised his head to look at the owner of the hand and it didn't surprise him to find himself staring right at Baekhyun. Said male was intently listening to the conversation going on in front of them, occasionally laughing along or nodding in agreement. Though as if he felt Minseok's eyes on him, Baekhyun turned towards him to return  
the glance. A beautiful laugh escaped Baekhyun's lips as he took in the perplexed stare Minseok gave him. The sound made goosebumps appear on Minseok's skin, accompanied by a soft shiver running down his back.

Jongin muttered something that sounded like 'get a room' while Yixing cooed at their proximity, but Minseok paid them no mind. Instead, he remembered all the questions he wanted to ask Baekhyun, all the things he needed to find out to find the other. He contemplated what would be the best question, if he should rather ask him for his last name of his location, but just as he opened his mouth to speak, Baekhyun gently shushed him and leaned closer towards his ear. Minseok could feel his hot breath on his skin, the feeling of soft lips grazing his ear, before Baekhyun whispered to him with a voice like honey.

 

"Just wait a little longer, we'll find each other soon."

 

Week 4, Tuesday

 

Minseok woke up slowly, pleasantly, with no abrupt movements or labored breathing. The alarm on his nightstand beeped loudly and Minseok quickly slammed his hand down on it. He rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling as he lazily blinked the sleepiness away. "Just wait a little longer, huh?", he muttered, unable to hold back the wide smile blooming on his face. To him, the message was clear. He will meet Baekhyun soon, even if the searches were futile so far. Minseok laughed softly before he rolled out of bed, slouching towards the bathroom with newfound energy.

As he ate his breakfast, Minseok checked his phone, happy to find messages from Jongdae and Luhan. While Jongdae's was an expected "No Problem! Tell me when you need something!", Luhan's message was a little more dramatic.

To: Minseok  
From: Luhan

Woah what???? Am I seeing this correctly?? A message from the KIM MINSEOK? What happened? Did I do something??  
[sent 7:15]

Minseok snorted at the overreaction, but this was exactly the Luhan he knew. He wrote him that he just wanted to talk a little since they haven't done that in a while before putting his phone away and getting ready for work. At work, Minseok tried his best to stay focused on the documents in front of him, but having so many people to talk to all of a sudden turned out to be exciting enough to distract him. When Minseok was just about to start typing up some client's data, his screen flashed with a new message that made him gasp in realization.

To: Minseok  
From: Jongin

By the way hyung, Yixing and I have been wondering if you had another dream yet?  
[sent 9:01]

Of course! The dream! How could he forget about it until now? Especially when those two were actually involved in it?

To: Jongin  
From: Minseok

Actually yes! I had another one last night. I was at a coffee shop with you guys  
just like on Saturday, but Baekhyun was there too.  
[sent 9:04]

 

To: Minseok  
From: Jongin

Ah really?? So cool! And did anything special happen or were we just chilling?  
[sent 9:05]

 

To: Jongin  
From: Minseok

Well....... I was holding hands with Baekhyun. Kind of. It was nice.  
[sent 9:09]

 

To: Minseok  
From: Jongin

Whaaat! Oh my god, how cute!! Seems like he likes you too ehehehe. And did you ask  
him for his full name or something?  
[sent 9:10]

 

To: Jongin  
From: Minseok

I wanted to, but before I could ask he told me we'd meet soon and then I woke up.  
[sent 9:12]

 

To: Minseok  
From: Jongin

Noooooo....... TTTT  
[sent 9:12]

Minseok laughed a little at Jongin's cute message. The younger really liked to act like a child sometimes. Thinking about what he could reply, his phone vibrated again, this time with a message from Yixing.

To: Minseok  
From: Yixing

Hello hyung. Jongin told me you dreamt again?  
[sent 9:14]

 

To: Yixing  
From: Minseok

News really spread fast... Yes, I dreamt of Baekhyun but I couldn't find out  
anything. How does your search go?  
[sent 9:15]

 

To: Minseok  
From: Yixing

I don't have anything either. So far, no one knows anyone named Baekhyun. Have you  
maybe considered that it's not actually his name?  
[sent 9:16]

Minseok's fingers hovered over the keys. To be honest, he hadn't thought about that yet. Up until this point he just expected his dreams to be true bit Yixing was right, maybe it wasn't even him. He felt a sudden wave of sadness crashing over him, in the last week he had finally learned to be hopeful but this realization made his heart feel heavy. A frown settled on his face as he somewhat glared at his phone. No, he'd come so far, he couldn't just give up now. Even if it wasn't Baekhyun's real name, Baekhyun told him they'd meet soon. Minseok nodded in determination. That's right, he just had to wait a little longer. He could do this.

To: Yixing  
From: Minseok

Maybe you're right. But even then, I'm sure we can find him. We just have to be a little more patient.  
[sent 9:21]

A low cough next to him made Minseok jump and he quickly put his phone away before looking up, seeing his boss glare at him with an exasperated expression on his face. “Mr. Kim, I would appreciate it if you didn't use your time here to work on your social affairs.” His tone was strict and devoid of the respect he once held for Minseok. Gulping nervously, Minseok stood up to bow deep, muttering a quiet apology. “I'm very sorry. It won't happen again.” His boss just nodded curtly before walking away, and Minseok sat back down with a long sigh. This wasn't good at all. Minseok really had been slacking off and he had to admit, he was surprised that he wasn't received some sort of punishment yet.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Jongdae walking over to him with a worried expression. The younger probably saw their exchange, judging from the frown on his face. And he was right, he thought as Jongdae explained what he saw while nervously glancing at the retreating figure. “Minseok, this is bad. Really bad. You practically didn't show any results for what, two weeks? What if he's gonna throw you out?”

Minseok groaned. The same question lingered on his mind for a while but he really hoped his boss appreciated his past work enough to give him a second chance. “I don't know, Jongdae. Let's just hope it won't get to that point.”

 

Week 4, Wednesday

It wasn't even 24 hours later that these worries resurfaced again. Minseok just sat down at his desk, ready to regain his position as the most hard-working employee, when he felt a figure looming over him. Again, it was his boss, but this time wearing a rather grave expression. “Mr. Kim, if you would follow me into my office please. There is something I'd like to discuss with you.”

In that moment, Minseok felt as if he got run over by a car. He had expected it, knew it would happen sooner or later with the way he just couldn't focus on his work anymore. And yet, as he sat in the large office, he felt both shocked and regretful at the words his boss told him.

“I'm sorry. Your work performance is not sufficient anymore. You're fired.”

The rest of the day, Minseok locked himself in his apartment, ignoring every single message and call he received. Sitting down in front of his tv with a big tub of ice cream and the probably most cheesiest romance movie he'd ever seen, Minseok contemplated if this day was the end of everything or the start of something new.

 

Week 4, Thursday

For some strange reason, Minseok felt pretty good when he woke up the next day. He expected to feel absolutely shitty, but somehow, he almost felt free. Lying in bed until afternoon, he watched a few series he'd always wanted to but couldn't find the time for, he re-read his favorite book, napped for a few minutes every now and then and surfed around the internet. It felt amazing, really, being able to relax like that without having to worry about performing perfectly. And now that he had more time, he could focus more on finding Baekhyun, right? When he had enough of lying down, Minseok moved to the kitchen to make himself some greasy breakfast. 'Technically, it's lunch. Or dinner?' He laughed quietly, one day without work and he completely lost his sense of time.

When he walked into his small kitchen, he spotted his phone that he put there after coming back the previous day. Picking it up, he realized he had a good 40 new messages, half of them belonging to Jongdae alone. As he saw who the other messages were from, Minseok internally slapped himself. He should've expected that too. Jongdae has always been the kind of person who couldn't keep anything to himself, of course he would tell everyone else about it.

Three of the other messages were filled with words of compassion from Joonmyun, Kyungsoo and Yixing while Jongin and Tao sent him a thousand crying emoticons and cute pictures of their pets. Sehun, Chanyeol and Luhan resorted to sending him all caps messages about how Minseok was too good for that place anyway and how he should've just kicked his boss's ass on his way out. Yifan, ever the cool guy, just sent him a short “That work wasn't your style anyway.” and finally, Minseok couldn't hold back the laughter. He felt happy, so so happy to be able to call these people his friends. A few weeks ago, Minseok would've never said anything like that but now he knew how precious they were. He responded to all of them, telling them how grateful he felt, before tending to Jongdae's messages. The other was a bit more dramatic, telling him how absolutely horrible work was without Minseok and how he already missed coming to his desk just to chat. Then, he proceeded to rant about the boss for making such a decision, stating that it was “absolutely disastrous” and that it will “leave the company in ruins”. Minseok chuckled a bit more before responding, exchanging messages with Jongdae and asking him if he wanted to come over after work the next day. Jongdae felt elated to get invited into Minseok's apartment and he instantly said yes, telling Minseok that his constant blabbering at work has finally proved to be useful.

As Minseok cooked his breakfastlunchdinner, he thought back to all the times Jongdae would stop by his desk to talk, no matter how persistent Minseok ignored him. It made him wonder why Jongdae never gave up on him. He'd really have to thank him later for that. Well, actually, he had to thank all his friends for staying with him. And maybe apologize for being such an ass.

Continuing to let his mind wander over the events of the last few weeks, Minseok couldn't stop the memory of something Jongdae once told him repeat itself over and over in his head.

'Travel far away, discover new places, meet new people.'

 

Week 4, Friday

On Friday, when Jongdae came over, the first thing that happened was that Minseok got enveloped into a big, bone-crushing hug. It's been a while since he received a hug and although his whole body ached from Jongdae's tight hold, he enjoyed it more than he'd like to admit.

He made some hot chocolate for both of them as per Jongdae's request and they sat down together at Minseok's small kitchen table. “How do you feel, Minseok?”, Jongdae asked, looking at him with concern in his eyes. “Actually, I feel good. It's nice to not have so many responsibilities for once”, Minseok laughed softly, showing Jongdae a reassuring smile. The latter visibly relaxed at that and sighed in relief. “I'm really glad to hear that. I was so worried when I heard about it.” He took a sip of his drink before he gave Minseok a questioning look. “Do you already know what you're gonna do now?”

Minseok stopped stirring his hot chocolate, staring at the table in thought. Truth to be told, he considered just searching for a new job but after remembering Jongdae's words about travelling, he couldn't get that idea out of his head. He knew that it was particially because of Baekhyun, they haven't found a single clue in this city and Minsoek was ready to travel the whole word just to find this one boy. Also, money wouldn't be such a big problem, since Minseok has never been the type of person to spend a lot of money on useless things. He mostly saved it all in case he'd ever need it for something important.

“Actually”, he started, hesitantly looking up at Jongdae. “Do you remember when you told me to go travel far away?”

There was no doubt Jongdae was surprised at that answer. It was almost shocking how much Minseok changed lately. He remembered when he suggested that, definitely, and back then Minseok insisted that he had no reason to go travel. At the same time, he couldn't deny how happy it made him. To this day, he had no idea what made Minseok change so much. He was aware that Jongin and Yixing knew something but they wouldn't tell him, stating that it's Minseok's privacy. All Jongdae could hope for was that Minseok would realize that he could trust him and tell him anything. For now, he opted for supporting Minseok in his decisions and trying to cheer him up. If Minseok was happy, then so was he.

“I do remember. So that's what you want to do? Travel? Where?”

“I don't know that yet. I was thinking about inviting Jongin and Yixing so they could help me. Maybe Luhan too. And you, of course.” Minseok told him, tapping his finger on his chin.

Jongdae couldn't help the smile that appeared on his lips. Minseok was actually making an effort to talk with them, to meet them. All this time, it had been the other way around but now, Minseok finally opened up. Encouraging his older friend to invite the others, they continued to talk about Minseok's plan and all the times they've spent together until they could almost see the sun rising on the horizon.

 

Week 4, Saturday

Just like he told Jongdae, he invited Jongin, Yixing and Luhan to come over. Luhan also brought Joonmyun with him, stating that the other was like a mother and knew exactly how to help, which made Joonmyun groan exasperately. During their planning, Minseok had to admit that Luhan was absolutely right and Joonmyun proved to be an excellent help. He told Minseok about everything he should be careful with and showed him ways to get the cheapest hotel prices. Minseok was so close to saying something along the lines of “Thanks, mom”, but thankfully he remembered to keep his mouth shut. Jongdae had not been as careful and ended up being chased around the apartment, to the amusement of everyone else.

Watching how his friends were here with him, helping him and laughing together, he decided to let Luhan, Jongdae and Joonmyun know what exactly this was about. It seemed like Yixing sensed his plan, because the kind-hearted male sat down next to him and encouraged him with a smile and a hand resting on his shoulder. Minseok felt the most nervous telling Jongdae and Luhan, since those two were famous for being absolute trolls. But just like the rest, they reacted absolutely positive, Luhan was excitedly dancing around at the thought of Minseok being in love, while Jongdae shook his head with a triumphant grin on his face. “I knew it! It's always love!”

Minseok couldn't stop the blush from coloring his cheeks. It was embarrassing to admit but yes, it was definitely love.

 

Week 4, Sunday

Minseok spent the entire day packing. Throughout the day he received a bunch of messages of his friends wishing him good luck, of course Jongdae told the rest of them about Minseok's plans.

It was okay though, and he felt happy. For weeks, he had seeked a change, searched for a way to break out of his routine, and here he was. Ready to take the next step and ready to find the boy who stole his heart without even being there.


	5. Week 5

Week 5, Monday

When Minseok arrived at the train platform, he didn't expect to see everyone there, with big smiles on their faces and their arms open. Even if he hadn't talked to Chanyeol, Sehun, Kyungsoo, Yifan and Tao personally for a while, they knew and they understood and Minseok decided it was time to thank them. As he apologized and spouted a hundred words of gratitude, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. A few tears of happiness trailed down his cheeks, even though he tried so hard to hold them back, and in the next second he found himself squished between his friends in a tight hug as they cooed at him. When they pulled back, Jongin raised his hand to gently wipe away the tears and Yixing rubbed his back comfortingly. „There is no need to apologize for anything, hyung.“, he heard Kyungsoo say. „That's right! We love you, no matter what!“, Tao added and soon everyone joined in.

By the time the train arrived, Minseok's tears were dried and replaced by a huge smile. He waved at his friends as they wished him goodbye, and before he was able to step into the train Jongin grabbed his wrist and whispered into his ear. „Don't you dare come back without Baekhyun!“

Minseok laughed, nodding to Jongin before he disappeared into the vehicle. The ride was long but Minseok was okay with that, he felt happy and nothing could take that from him. He made sure to remember to keep his friends updated and spent the rest of his journey thinking about everything that could happen in the next few days.

When he arrived at his destination, it was slowly getting darker. The city he arrived in was big, maybe even bigger than his hometown. There were people everywhere and while it once would've bothered him, now it only felt exciting. For today, though, he just wanted to rest, feeling tired from all those hours of sitting in a train. His hotel was close by and he walked there, watching his surroundings and making plans for the next few days. The hotel was average, nothing too fancy but also not too shabby and Minseok instantly felt comfortable in it. It reminded him a bit of his own apartment, with the light furniture and clean appearance. Changing his clothes quickly, he fell into bed, falling asleep after just a few minutes and waking up in the world of dreams.

Once again, the setting was familiar. He recognized the room to be his boss's office and he instantly remembered the last time being here, feeling nervous. As he looked up, expecting to see his boss, he felt himself freeze. The one sitting at the large oak desk wasn't the old man he had known for years, but it was Baekhyun. Wearing the same crestfallen expression his boss had when he fired Minseok. It scared Minseok and he tried to get up and leave before anything could happen, but his legs wouldn't move. He was stuck and unable to react when Baekhyun opened his mouth, endless tears streaming down his face.

„I'm sorry. I'm not happy being with you anymore. Let's break up.“

 

Week 5, Tuesday

Minseok startled awake gasping for air and he didn't even notice the tears dripping from his eyes. His head whipped from left to right as he tried to orientate himself and with a relieved sigh he realized that he was still lying in the hotel bed. He slapped his own cheeks, trying to get rid of the image in his mind. What was that? Why was this dream so horrible, all his previous dreams about Baekhyun had been so happy! 'Probably just bad influence from getting fired', he tried to tell himself, but the uneasy feeling in his stomach wouldn't go away. 

To distract himself, he got up and left the hotel, ready to explore the foreign city. Previously, Joonmyun made him a list of places worth visiting, stating that he'd been here several times and didn't regret it. Minseok followed that advice and made his way to a relatively small shopping district in the south of the city. As he sat down in the subway, he realized he had too much time to think now and of course his mind wandered back to the dream. It was probably the shortest dream he had so far and if he was honest with himself, he was glad it wasn't longer. He didn't want to know what would've happened if the dream continued. All he hoped for now was that this dream had no meaning, Minseok couldn't bear the thought of losing Baekhyun before he even found him. Shaking his head, he focused back on the task at hand. He wanted to visit this shopping district to get something for his friends for when he returned. Maybe it was a bit early to already get souvenirs on the first day, but Minseok liked finishing his tasks quickly.

The shopping district itself reminded Minseok a lot of the city he grew up in, a small town that was surrounded by fields and woods. The streets were lined with small junk shops and tiny cafés, just like the ones he liked to visit as a child. It made him think of his parents. He hasn't really spoken to them in a few years, he wasn't really the best son to them and he knew it. Until now, he didn't really care. Listening to his parents just made him angry, they had no idea what he wanted anyway. But now, as he realized more and more of his own mistakes, he also realized that his parents only ever wanted the best for him. They never meant to make him feel bad, Minseok was just too stubborn to realize it. 

'Maybe', Minseok thought, 'maybe it's time to visit them again. Tell them that I'm sorry and that I want them back in my life.'

The thought of talking to them made him feel nervous but at the same time it excited him. He never really realized how much he missed them. Making a mental note to call them as soon as he returned from his journey, he went into one of the small shops to buy small presents for not only his friends but his parents as well.

 

Week 5, Wednesday

The following day Minseok spent more time shopping. Summer slowly came and Minseok could feel it. It was warmer now and flowers were blooming everywhere. The scenery was beautiful and Minseok was able to explore the city wearing nothing more but a t-shirt. He decided to check out the nightlife later that day, seeing as it was warm enough to walk around during the night.

Later that day, when the night slowly came, Minseok found himself in a club that wasn't too full since it was only Wednesday and Minseok enjoyed his time. He drank a few drinks with different people, exchanging names and numbers for later times. It surprised him how sociable he could actually be, usually he'd just shy away when strangers attempted to get to know him. But now Minseok felt eager to meet new people, always hopeful that the next stranger he bumps into could be Baekhyun.

 

Week 5, Friday

On Friday, Minseok received a call from Sehun. The younger told him he was in the same town for some job, probably a modeling job again, and they decided to meet up in the afternoon at a restaurant.

„So Jongdae told me about Baekhyun.“, Sehun told him after they ordered their meals. Minseok snorted at that. Of course Jongdae told him, it's not like he could keep his mouth shut. „What did he tell you?“, Minseok inquired, trying to seem nonchalant about the topic.

„Told me you met him in a dream and fell head over heels for him.“, Sehun replied, keeping his answers short as always. Humming softly, Minseok wondered what the younger thought about this. „Do you think it's stupid?“

„Yes.“ Minseok choked a little on his water, he'd never get used to how straightforward Sehun was. „But if it makes you happy, it's okay to do stupid things.“

With that, Sehun turned away, watching how a waiter balanced their food on his arms. Minseok had no time to reply, all he could do was gape at the young boy who seemed too casual for what he just said. 'When did all the younger people become so wise?', he thought, unable to keep the impressed expression of his face as he devoured his noodles.

 

Week 5, Sunday

The week passed way too quickly in Minseok's eyes, and on Sunday he resorted to lazying around since all the shops were closed anyway. He was lying on his bed back at the hotel, chatting with the others in a group chat Chanyeol opened just for them („Because we're the sickest crew!“, he said). Telling them about his journey so far, Minseok realized he had no idea what to do next week. He only made plans for the first week and now that it's over, his mind was blank. Before he could think about it anymore, a message in the chat caught his attention.

To: the sickest crew   
From: Tao

Minseok hyung, have you found Baekhyun yet??  
[sent 12:37]

Staring at the message, Minseok wondered if everyone in this world now knew about Baekhyun.

To: the sickest crew  
From: Minseok

Not yet. I haven't really searched yet.  
[sent 12:39]

 

To: the sickest crew   
From: Chanyeol

WHAT?!?!?!?!??!  
[sent 12:40]

 

To: the sickest crew   
From: Jongdae

Well what are you waiting for??  
[sent 12:40]

 

To: the sickest crew   
From: Kyungsoo

You've literally been gone for a week and haven't done anything? Wow.  
[sent 12:40]

 

To: the sickest crew   
From: Tao

How disappointing, hyung......  
[sent 12:40]

Laughing at their reactions, Minseok internally thanked them for their good timing. Now he knew what to do the whole next week. It filled him with excitement just thinking about it. If he was lucky, he might already hold Baekhyun in his arms tomorrow.


	6. Week 6 [end]

Week 6, Monday

Feeling motivated and excited, Minseok got up extra early to prepare himself for the day. He packed some food to keep him alive. Of course, he also made sure he'd look good, wearing some of his best clothes and making sure his hair falls perfectly. He never thought about what would happen if Baekhyun disliked him, if he thought Minseok was ugly or something. But he chose not to worry about it, Minseok knew he didn't look bad at all, he often received compliments and many people tried to hit on him. He hoped it would be the same with Baekhyun, Minseok had no idea what to do if Baekhyun rejected him.

His first stop of the day were the busy streets near the train station, where most people passed to go to their jobs. Since it was still early Minseok believed the most people were still to come, so he sat down at a small café where he had a good view over everything. Ordering himself a hot cup of coffee, he officially started his search, feeling motivated as his friends wished him good luck.

But when three hours passed and Minseok just finished his fourth cup of coffee, there was still no sign of Baekhyun. The biggest wave of rush hour traffic already passed and none of the people who walked past Minseok had even the slightest resemblance to Baekhyun. Minseok sighed dejectedly, deciding that the first stop of his search was a fail. Next, he walked to a big shopping center. Even if it was Monday morning, it was filled with masses of people and Minseok was barely able to see with the crowd around him. Spending another two hours in this place, Minseok searched high and low, walking into every shop to see if maybe Baekhyun worked there. He grumbled slightly to himself. Why did Baekhyun have to tell him that they'll find each other soon? Couldn't he tell him something better? His name? Address? Working place? Anything?

It was frustrating and Minseok just felt angry. Couldn't there at least be an easy way to search for someone based on looks without having to go to the police and report him as a criminal for a facial composite? To calm himself down, Minseok went to a nearby park, sitting down on one of the benches and watching some children play on the playground. He sighed. The children looked so carefree, so happy, as if they had no worries in this world. Oh, how much Minseok wished to be just like that. Everything was so much harder being an adult, happiness no longer came to you, you had to search for it. And for him, happiness meant Baekhyun and he would find it. He spent too many years living in sorrow with no motivations in life. And now, for once, everything seemed to go so well. Yes, he lost his job, but that was replaceable. He gained irreplaceable friends that he never wanted to lose and he finally had someone he wanted to love and cherish forever. Minseok would be a fool to let this chance go. 

With newfound strenght, he got up from the bench. It was too early to give up. He hasn't tried hard enough yet. Retrieving Joonmyun's list from his backpack, Minseok read the different options where he could go to. In the end, he decided to walk along all the main streets and check out all the shops and businesses he found along the way. It was tiring, the streets were long and it was warm enough to make Minseok feel sweaty, but he was determined. It took him another few hours to search through the streets, and again, there was no result. By the time he was done, the sun was setting and Minseok could see a few stars shining on the clear sky. The last business people rushed past him, most likely on their way back to their families. Minseok just stood there, in the middle of the sidewalk, contemplating what to do next. He already texted his friends about his search so far, receiving words of encouragement so he wouldn't give up.

Their words helped, since Minseok's hope disappeared with every passing hour, no matter how hard he tried no to let that happen. For a while he just watched all the colorful lights brightening the night. Bars and clubs opened one after another, their neon signs blinding Minseok slightly. He started walking again, in the direction of the nightlife scene where he's been to the previous week. Minseok loved watching the lights, the reflections and how the strangers around him got illuminated by a thousand colors. The atmosphere of the night always appealed to him, it was as if everyone threw away their worries and responsibilities and just started living for once.

As Minseok moved along the sidewalk, he was so immersed in watching the scenery that he bumped into something – or someone. Looking up to apologize, Minseok froze slightly. The man he ran into was tall and broad, with a face that made him look dangerous. There was a large damp spot on his shirt and that was when Minseok realized he caused the man to spill his drink. Next to him were two other men with a similar appearances. „What the fuck? Can't you watch where you're going, you fucker?“, the man in front of him snarled, looking like he was ready to kill Minseok. „I'm sorry, I-“, Minseok stammered but he got cut off by one of the other two men. „You'll pay for that, bitch!“ That was all Minseok needed to hear before he ran into the opposite direction, the three men following him and shouting profanities. In this moment, Minseok was happy he was short, as he swiftly ducked through the crowd and rounded a few corners. He gained quite the distance and ran along a more empty street now when suddenly another person walked out of a shop and right in Minseok's way. He stopped quickly, just barely managing not to run the stranger over, when a soft voice called out for him. „Minseok?“

Minseok swore his head never whipped up that fast. He was already breathless but at that moment, his breath just stopped and his eyes widened in complete shock. There, in front of him, was no other than Baekhyun, looking at him with an expression that mirrored his own. Not only that, but did he just call Minseok by his name? He was just about to ask a thousand questions when loud yelling from behind him caught his attention. Looking at Baekhyun in panic, he had no idea what to do when suddenly Baekhyun grabbed his wrist and pulled him along. Together, they ran, through crowds and streets and alleys, Minseok didn't know for how long they ran but it felt like hours.

After an eternity, the yells were gone, and they came to a halt in a street Minseok didn't recognize. They were both panting hard, trying desperately to catch their breaths, when Baekhyun shyly let go of his hand and turned to face him. For a few minutes, they just looked at each other in wonder, until Minseok found the courage to speak. „How do you know my name?“, he whispered, barely audible. But Baekhyun caught it and a deep blush settled on his cheeks. „I...please don't freak out.“, he said hesitantly before stepping a little closer towards Minseok. „You appeared in my dreams for months. You told me we'd meet here so I came and now...you're here.“ Baekhyun looked up at him, still seemingly in shock. Then he chuckled softly and looked away.

„I know, it sounds strange. But I dreamt of you and felt love.“

Minseok's heart was beating so fast, he was scared it would burst out of his chest. He was unable to say anything, all he could to was to stare at Baekhyun. The latter on the other hand looked more and more nervous and slowly backed away from Minseok in an attempt to escape. But before he could do so, Minseok grabbed his hand and pulled him closer. „Wait, Baekhyun!“ Hearing his own name, Baekhyun turned back to him in shock, and Minseok smiled back. 

„I dreamt of you too.“ 

A beautiful smile bloomed on Baekhyun's lips and in that moment, Minseok couldn't hold himself back. Taking Baekhyun's face in his hands, he leaned forward to finally do what he wished the most for the past six weeks. "I will never let you go", he whispered against Baekhyun's lips, feeling the other's warm breath on his face. Shutting his eyes, he closed the distance and pressed his lips against Baekhyun's. Minseok could feel the other smile into the kiss, eagerly pressing back against Minseok and sending jolts of electricity through every vein in his body. It was amazing, the way their mouths fitted against each other so perfectly, the softness of Baekhyun's lips, his arms around Minseok's neck, the closeness of their bodies. 'Like two puzzle pieces', Minseok thought, 'We finally found our other halves.'

 

Their lips moved against each other as if they've never done anything else, and Minseok once again realized how Baekhyun never felt like a stranger to him. He wondered for a second if Baekhyun felt the same, but as the other's grip around him tightened and pulled him closer, every question in his head disappeared. When both of them felt their breath run out, Minseok carefully pulled away, making sure to still stay as close as possible. Caressing Baekhyun's face with his hands, he pecked the other once more before he opened his mouth to speak.

 

"I love you, Baekhyun", he murmured, opening his eyes slowly.

 

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. 

 

Minseok blinked. His vision was blurry and he could barely recognize the scenery in front of him. Still, he could definitely say that it wasn't Baekhyun standing in front of him. In fact, he realized that he wasn't even standing. Rolling over to the other side, his eyes slowly focused on his surroundings. The soft surface below him felt warm and sunk in a little as he moved, and that's when his mind finally woke up and he realized that this was indeed his bedroom. Harsh ticking  
filled the silence, and Minseok turned back to look at his alarm that read 9:57 am in red, glowing digits.

His eyes focused on the window as a strong gust of wind blew the curtains away. The sun was already high up in the sky, which was no surprise as spring has just begun. Minseok had always liked spring the most, with its warmth and the gentle glow of the sun.

Sitting up in his bed and running a hand through his messy hair, Minseok thought about what just happened. 'What a strange dream', Minseok thought. 'Strange, and yet so familiar.' With languid movements, Minseok pushed the covers off his body and climbed out of bed. The loss of warmth sent shivers down his body and he moved towards the window to close it, briefly watching the scenery outside. After waking up from this dream, Minseok felt strange, as if he suddenly got sent into an alternate universe. The dream seemed so similar to his own life, with all his friends in it and the job he's been doing for the last few years. The city was similar and even Minseok's feelings seemed to be the same in this dream. The only thing new was that in this dream, he dreamt too. And he dreamt of a boy, he dreamt of...Baekhyun?

Minseok scratched his neck in thought. He remembered how in the last moments of this dream he had kissed Baekhyun and a pleasant shiver ran down his back. Even if it was a dream, kissing the other felt amazing and he already missed the feeling. He missed the warmth of the other's arms around him and only then did Minseok realize how cold he felt.

He quickly exited his bedroom in hopes of finding some warmth, walking through the hallway that was so eerily quiet compared to the hundreds of questions sceaming inside of his head. The images of last night's dream were so happy, so full of love. As he walked into his small kitchen, he wondered if things would be different for him if the dream was actually real. Minseok was perfectly content with the life he had right now, there was no need for so much drama. 'Why would there be,, Minseok thought as he came to a halt a few steps in front of the kitchen counter, 'after all, my life went perfectly fine.  
Because when I turned six years old, I wanted to become an astronaut. Sail through the stars and say hello to the tiny green men roaming around the surface of the mars.

When I turned twelve years old, I dreamed of being a famous soccer player. Having the whole world cheer for me as I scored goal after goal.

When I turned 18 years old, I didn't know what to dream of, no matter how hard I thought. Everything just seemed too far away.

When I turned 24, I stopped thinking.  
And now, at 26 years', Minseok paused to wrap his arms around the small figure standing in front of the counter and cutting fruits. The latter jumped in shock at the sudden embrace, but then relaxed quickly and turned around to face Minseok with a beautiful smile. Minseok replied with a smile on his own and slowly leaned closer to press a loving kiss to the other's lips. 'There's no need for me to dream anymore, because my biggest wish got fulfilled and is already mine for the rest of eternity.'

Pulling away from the kiss, Minseok leaned towards the other's ear and whispered  
softly.

"I just had the strangest dream, Baekhyun."

**Author's Note:**

> [posting all my fics from aff here now]
> 
> Originally written for the Winter Lights festival.


End file.
